Aggies topple champion Kentucky in Rupp Arena

Texas A&M made it’s first Southeastern Conference road game quite memorable, thanks especially to senior guard Elston Turner Jr., who knocked down a career high 40 points in the Aggies’ 83-71 upset at Kentucky this afternoon.

A&M (12-3, 2-0 SEC) handed UK (10-5, 1-1) its first SEC home loss ever under fourth-year coach John Calipari, who’s now 59-2 in Rupp Arena. His only previous loss was to Baylor in a nonconference game earlier this season.

The Aggies had struggled in their three previous games to opening SEC play, in losing to Southern and having trouble getting past Army and Houston Baptist. But A&M, under second-year coach Billy Kennedy, has started league play strong, in defeating Arkansas 69-51 on Wednesday in Reed Arena and following up with the 12-point victory over the Wildcats.

Kentucky fans even gave Turner an ovation as he exited the floor, after making 14 of 19 shots from the field, including a handful of long-range 3-pointers that left Calipari simply shaking his head. Turner made 6 of 10 3-pointers and all six of his free throws.

A&M’s victory also sets up a solid early-season SEC contest in Reed on Thursday, as No. 11 Florida rolls into Aggieland. The Gators are coming off a 74-52 victory at LSU today.

The defending national champion Wildcats lost six players to last year’s NBA draft, and are still trying find their footing with a new cast of talented but raw players.